Drying equipment



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Patented Mar. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in drying apparatus, being especially adapted to the drying of fire hose and articles which may be injured by direct radiant heat. It is to be understood, however, that the apparatus is not limited to any particular article in its operation and may function in many capacities as a simple, elfective dehydrator.

In the drying of fire hose it is of particular advantage to be able to coil the hose anddry many lengths in a compact space quickly, economically and without injury to the hose structure. To this end, according to the principles of the present invention, a unitary cabinet is provided in which the air is preferably drawn in at a substantial distance above the floor, passes thru a duct in intimate relation with means for increasing the water absorption qualities of the air by heat or dehydration or both, without chance of short circuiting, and then is expanded into the drying chamber to reduce the velocity, and uniformly and efiiciently dry the entire contents in the apparatus,

Thus one of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved drying cabinet of the type described in which the air is drawn into a duct located at one side of the drying chamber, treated in the duct to increase its water absorption, expanded in the drying chamber through a distributor located at a low level and drawn uniformly upward for discharge at a high level.

Another object is to provide a drying apparatus having a chamber into which air is drawn in at a lower level and discharged at an upper level, there being a duct on the outside of the chamber in which the air is treated before entering the chamber. 3

A further object is to provide an improved drying apparatus in which air is effectively heated and dehydrated before being discharged into the drying chamber.

A still further object is to provide an improved fire hose drying cabinet in which the air is heated, there being special provisions to protect the hose from radiant heat. These and other objects and advantages residing in the specific construction and arrangements and combination of parts of the cabinet will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification and appended claims:

In the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cabinet with portions broken away to show the interior, the drying trays being removed.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the drying trays showing a hose length supported in a position to be dried.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of the modified form of the invention showing both heating and dehydrating structure located in the exterior duct, and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a still furthe modified form of the invention showing a different arrangement of the heating and dehydrating structure.

The drying cabinet i0 is preferably of unitary construction complete in itself and readily portable. It is preferably of sheet metal exterior construction having fully closed side portions I2 and I4, a back portion l6 fully inclosedexcept for an opening at and a front portion 20 having an opening regulated by hinged doors 22 and 24. Where the cabinet is to be used for drying fire hose and similar articles, horizontal supports 26 are provided to slidably receive the drying trays 28 upon which the coiled lengths of the hose 30 may be placed.

Spaced upwardly from the bottom of 32 is a distributing perforated baflle 34 the spacing of the baflie 34 from the bottom 32 provides a distributor chamber 36 throughout the entire lower level of the cabinet l0.

Preferably attached to the back it of the cab inet l0 is'an exterior duct 38 having a grilled entrance 40 and communicating at its lower end with the opening 3 discharging into the distributor chamber 36. The entrance 46 to the duct 38 for best performance should be a substantial distance above the floor to draw in drier'air, but should not be so located that the discharge of air through the discharge openin 42 in the cabinet l0 will not be materially returned directly to the duct 38.

Under certain climatic conditions, the cabinet I0 is capable as functioning as an efiective drying apparatus solely through the use of the circulating fan 44 supported in the upper level of the cabinet I 6. and functioning to draw air in through the duct 38, into the distributor chamber 36 and discharging through the opening 42 after uniformly distributing the incoming air throughout the entire cabinet. However, under most climatic conditions, especially where it is desired to effect rapid drying, it would be advantageous to treat the air coming through the duct 38 to increase its water absorption. According to the principles of the present invention, this treatment may be effectively and economically carried out by locating a heating or dehydrating structure, or both, directly in duct 38 bringing the circulated air into intimate contact therewith.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, a suitable electric heating unit 46 is shown supported in the duct 38 in such a manner that the entering air is brought into intimate contact with the; same and. passes through the opening 18 to the distributing chamber 36; If desired, a pull-out tray 46 extending into the distributor chamber 36 may be provided for holding a suit.- able hydroscopic material such as silica jell. or calcium chloride.

Referring to Fig. 3 the cabinet Ll} may cor respond in construction with that shown in Fig,

1 as may the duct 38' through which the air In addition to the- 36 through the opening I8 in the rear wall of the. c b net I.

In the modification as shown in Fig. 4;, the cabinet III", which may correspond to. the. cont r ot o s own in Fi 1., has. a dischar e open- 111g 42' in an upper level through Which. air is forced by the circulating fan 44. to be distributed upwardly through the cabinet from the distributor chamber 36" upon entering the opening [8".

121 closed communication with'the opening I8, is: a tortuous duct 56; having a vertical. passage 58 in whichv the electrical heating unit 601 is located for heating. the. air as it passes to the opening l 8 c mmu ating Withthedistributor chamber 36, A second vertical chamber 62. hasv located therein a suitable dehydrated unit. 64;, the, pase ses 8 nd be s pa at d y a al (it;-

If calcium chloride isv to. be. used the dehydrating unit 64, a dra n ran 68 is preferably prov ded beneath he. uni 64. wit a t me. is provided to bring the entering air over the liquiiiea eal a d. up throuaht. unmet. With't i arrangement. the. salt. Will li i from the. bottom or the unit 64' and will. feed. down. by g avity permittin the salt; to be conveniently replenished from the topby removing the closure plate 1.0,

It will be understood that. climatic, conditions will determine the necessity of Operating. either or both of the. means provided in, the. exterior duct modification shown in Figs. 1, 3. and 4 for increasing the water absorption. capacity of the circulated air.

The air passing through the duct 38 for example will have a relatively high velocity affordt e. it l opp rtuni y of. o erheating the. ai t the ex nt hat e. same. wou d. e. d tr menta to th artic e eing dried...

In view of the convenienc or e ect cal heat, it is preferably used, By locating the heating unit 46 in the duet 38.. the articles. being dried= are not. ubjected to direot. radiant heatand at. the

same time the entering air is brought into intimate contact with the heating element with no possibility of short circuiting the air. As the air flows through the opening l8 it expands into the distributor chamber 36 and is uniformly distributed through the perforated baffle distributor 34 to pass upwardly through the articles being dried towards the discharge 42. It will be appreciated that the velocity in the air flowing through the cabinet ill will be materially less than the velocity of the air flowing into the duct 38, the results that ample opportunity is afforded for the absorption of moisture. By insulating the duct 38, substantially all. heat losses may be avoided. Whether or notit is necessary to provide insulation between the common wall l6 of the duct 38 and cabinet l0 depends upon the capacity of the heating unit 46 and the article to be dried in the cabinet l0. If no insulation is provided, a. certain amount of heat will be transinto a flat form and edgewise supported up n a shelf within the cabinet,v said cabinet having exterior vertical walls. upon three. sidesv and a door n t e fo rthide to complete a vertical l sure, a. pe orat d. air. ditt sion. baf le; horizon a l d15- posed in the lower portion offsaid cabinet, abettom enclosure for said cabinet spaced below said bafile and defining therewith a distributor chamher, a drying chamber above said bafile and defined by said door andsaid, exterior vertical walls, a series, of vertically spaced and horizontally disposed supports in said drying chamber for r ceiv a he f, uppor in he lat: c l-1 fire hose o be ed, a t p o osure f r se Loabinet including a. central opening; havingair cireulating fan disposed therein: f d awin niformly distributedv air, from said; distributor chamber upwardly to; said: drying chamber, 81110108111113 to the distributnr chamber defined in one of said vertical walls; at a point below said perforated air difiusion balllje, an exterior vertical air duct-definedv in part by the exterior wall in which said opening is. defined and supported therefrom, the duct being defined by spaced apart opposite edge walls and a wall parallel toand spaced from the adjacent exterior wall of the cabinetand; said edge walls being inwardly spaced from the front and back walls of the cabinet, the lower end of said air duct overlapping said opening; with; the upper end} of said air duct beingopen, tothe atmosphere at a point substantially above said baille, and a heater located inthe airflow passage of" said air duct, said heater being in heat exchangerela tion with the interior of said cabinet only through the opening in the exterior wall of the cabinet and being -spaced from said exterior wall so as to form an air space between the heater and the wall of the cabinet.

A P e dryin cabinet or. fire hose an t k as d f n d n im 1 wher a hem c dehydrator is located in said duct, in series with s id h ate tor ncreas t e. Wa er. absorpt pr pert es or the a lo eabirie nd mean oro a ao ese. o said orhydrator through a wall of said T; MCGBAW- (References on following page) 8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 215,191 Wilson et al. May 6, 1879 790,176 Bowman -1-.. May 16, 1905 942,150 Tiemann Dec. 7, 1909 1,228,240 Pierce May 29, 1917 1,273,598 Flanagan July 23, 1918 1,295,259 Beebee Feb. 25, 1919 1,408,624 Mayor Mar. 7, 1922 Number Number Name Date Hitchcock Feb. 3, 1925 Cooke -1 Aug. 31, 1926 Sieben Sept. 7, 1926 Glover Oct. 8, 1929 Hopkinson Mar. 18, 1930 Hutchinson, Jr. Apr. 1, 1930 Barnsteiner Aug. 11, 1936 Palmgren Nov. 15, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Sept. 29, 1938 

